Automatic welt turning mechanism



June 13, 1939. J. c. RUEDT El Al.

AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY W011, M, M

WIEWMM w ATTORNEY.

June 13, 1939. J. CQRUEDT ET AL AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 13, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I QW June 3, 1939- .1 c. RUEDT ET AL AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 13, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

7 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. C. RUEDT ET AL Filed Jan. 15, 1936 Y INVENTOR. M, G, 45% 14 04.

7})Q72 W 7 ATTORNEY.

AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM I- u 1 i June 13, 1939.

J. C. RUEDT El" AL AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 13, 1936 INVENTOR.

m a NY m MM, My,

" "7M ATTORNEY,

June 13, 1939. J. c. RUEDT ET AL AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 13, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 l NVENTOR. G. fii a. g

ATTORNEY.

June 13, 1939. .1. c. RUEDT Er AL AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 13, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented June 13, 1939 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC WELT TURNING MECHANISM Julius c. Ruedt and William 0. Redeen. Milwaukce. Wia, assignors to Phoenix Hosiery Oompany,-Milwaukee, Wia, a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 13, 1936, Serial No. 58,824

26 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of an automatic mechanism for turning and closing the welt of a stocking knit in fulli'ashioned knitting machines.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of transferring the loops of the first course back onto the knitting needles, characterized by pressing the welt hooks to which said loops are attached downwardly over the front face of the bank of needles, as distinguished from the practice here-V tofore of pressing the welt hooks downwardly behind the needles.

Another object of the invention is to provide welt turning and closing mechanism which automatically performs all of the tedious and difllcult operations involved in the transferring of loops of the initial course back onto the knitting needles to close the welt and to accomplish this automatic operation with a mechanism which is comparatively simple in construction, reliable and effective in its action, and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. The automatic mechanism is such that while it may be conveniently built into a knitting machine as originally manufactured it is also well adapted to be applied as an attachment to full fashioned knitting machines.

The invention thus not onlyvimproves the operative efficiency of the machine but also lowers the cost of production in the great saving of time and of skilled labor it effects.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction,arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary view in top plan showing an automatic welt turning mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure.2 is a view thereof in section taken on line 22 of Figure land looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation for the sake of illustration;

Figure 3 is a similar view taken-on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to the upper portion of Figure 2 but showing a different position of the parts;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing a still different position of the parts;

Figures 6, '7, 8, 9 and, 10 are diagrammatic views partly in section and'partly in elevation showing successive operations involved in transferring the first course from the hooks of the welt bar back to the knitting needles;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Figure 3;

Figure 12 is a detail sectional view taken on line I2-I2 of Figure 1, showing means for retaining the pinion I5 in its relation to the rack bar I6;

Figures 13 and 14 are fragmentary views in elevation illustrating certain of the cams effective to actuate the welt bar operating lever dur ing the turning and closing of the welt;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane of line I5-I5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 16 is a diagrammatic view illustratingone means for actuating the cam shaft of the welt turning and closing mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, and more especially to Figures 2 to 4, the numeral I designates the needle bar of one of a number of knitting sections constituting the machine. The bar I is actuated through its ordinary cycle of motions by conventional or standard means not fully shown but of which elements I6, l1 and I8 form a part. Carried by each bar I is a plurality of needles 2 shown as having conventional beards 3.

The automatic welt turning and closing mechanism embodying the present invention comprises a welt bar 5 (see Figures 1 and 6 to 10, inclusive) which may be advantageously made up of sections 6 and 1 suitably secured together and clamping between them welt bar hooks 8, there being an elastic or resilient seat 9 on the bar against which the shanks of the books 8 are clamped. Openings ID in the section I receive the angular ends II of each hook to firmly secure the hooks in position. Preferably, there is one hook 8 for each knitting needle 2. The shank of each hook 8 has a longitudinal slot l2 therein which is located on the same side as the bill I3 of its hook. Projecting from the opposite ends of the welt bar 5 as fixed studs I4 carrying pinions I5 fixed thereto and meshing with rack bars I6 slidably'mounted in pivoted guides II. The studs I4 project beyond the outer faces of pinions I5 as at I 4 and engage in slots I6 provided in upward rib like extensions I6 of rack bars I6 (see Figure 12). The pinions I5 are spaced outwardly slightly from their respective adjacent ends of the welt bar 5 and the portions of the studs between the pinions and the ends-of the welt bar are pivotally interfitted with angled links I8 which have their opposite ends pivotally connected as at I9 to the upper ends of operating levers 20. The lower ends of levers 20 have integral collars 2| which are pinned to an operating shaft 22. The manner in which these levers 20 are cam actuated will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The rack bars l6 have upturned extensions 23 at their rearward ends connected by means of links 24 to the upper ends of operating levers 25. As will be understood from Figure 1, each link 24 has one end directly pivoted as at 24 to the upstanding portion 23 of its rack bar and its other end pivotally connected by means of a bolt and sleeve pivot structure 24 to its operating lever 25, this in order to take care of the offset between the rack bars l6 and their operating levers 25. The lower ends of levers 25 have collars 26 integral therewith which are fitted on and suitably fixed to a hollow sleeve shaft 21 through which the shaft 22 extends. The cams by which these levers 25 are operated will also be pointed out hereinafter.

As indicated, the guides l1 for the racks are pivotally supported and for this purpose a mounting bracket 30 is provided for each guide l1 and is suitably secured to a cross channel member 3| of the frame of the machine and project rearwardly therebeyond. The brackets 30 for the guides are positioned on the outsides thereof and are pivotally connected therewith by pivot pins 30, the pivots 39' interconnecting the rearward ends of the guides and brackets. In the lowermost position of the guides they rest on the cross channels 3i and they may have depending enlargements 32 at their forward ends to prevent endwise movement of the takeup rods 51 when the latter are positioned in the hooks 45, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

and its lower end pivotally connected as at 31 to its rock lever. The rock levers are also controlled by suitable cams, as willbe hereinafter more fully described.

This invention makes provision not only for the turning and closing of the welt but also for automatically transferring the take-up from the welt turning and closing mechanism to the ordinary take-up mechanism. The ordinary takeup mechanism is, however, slightly modified to enable it to cooperate with the welt turning and closing mechanism for the purpose mentioned.-

Referring now particlularly to Figure 1, the numeral 40 designates a conventional take-up mechanism which includes a conventional takeup roller 4| acting through the usual take-up straps 42. The present invention connects to the straps 42 thin flexible straps 43 which may be of metal and which have their outer ends suitably secured to a transverse strip 44, provided with take-up rod receiving hooks 45 and control lugs 46.

During the time that the automatic welt turner and closing mechanism is functioning the strip 44 and its hooks 45 are positioned as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, these parts being held in position by virtue of the engagement of the control lugs 46 with the notched endsof latching fingers 41. There is one such latching finger 41 for each control lug 46, and the two latching fingers are pivotally supported as at 46 on brackets 49 provided therefor on the frame of the machine.

Each latching finger is provided with a gear segment 60 which meshes with a corresponding segment 5| provided on an operating lever 52. The levers 52 are fixed to a common mounting shaft 53 and are consequently constrained to corresponding movement and to occupy the same position at any one time. 1

One of the levers 52 is connected by a link 54 with a rock lever 55, having one end fulcrumed on the machine and having its other end controlled by a cam, as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

In addition to the parts thus described, the welt bar 5 is provided with a pair of guide strips 56, one end portion of which is fastened to the section 6 of the welt bar and the other end portion of which overlies the section 1 thereof and is spaced therefrom. These guide strips provide supporting means for a conventional take-up rod 51 and during the knitting of the welt this takeup rod is supported in these guide strips in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2. When, however, the fabric making up the welt has been completed and the welt bar and its associated parts approach the needles to effect closing of the welt the take-up rod rolls by gravity out of the guides 66 and down the fiexible metal straps 43 into the hooks 45 where it remains until the operation of turning and closing the welt has been completed. During this time the rod 51 is maintained against endwisev displacement by the enlargements 32. Upon the completion of the welt turningv and closing operation and latches 41 are automatically operated to release the lugs 46 and their hooks 45 and permit the conventional takeup mechanism to exercise its function during the remainder of the knitting of a stocking blank.

Coming now to the cams for operating the several instrumentalities thus far described, it should be understood that one cam arrangement for effecting this'purpose is shown for the sake of example or illustration but that, of course, various cam designs may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the construction shown, all of the cams are mounted on a common cam shaft 60 supported for rotation in suitable bearings 6| provided therefor on the frame of the machine and appropriately controlled in any desired manner.

In Figure 16, one means for actuating the cam shaft 66 is diagrammatically shown. As there illustrated, an electric motor is appropriately geared as at 9] to the shaft 60 for the purpose of imparting rotation thereto at the desired time. The motor 90 is incorporated in a circuit 92 controlled by a suitable switch 93 which has buttons 94 and 95. A cam 96 on a cam drum 91 of the knitting machine acts to press on the button 94 and close the switch and consequently energize the motor 90, when it is desirable to start the welt turning and closing operation. cam shaft 60 is then rotated through one complete revolution and at the completion of such revolution of the motor 96 is turned off by means of a cam '96 fixed to the cam shaft 66 and cooperable with the other button 95 also incorporated in the switch structure 93 and effective when depressed to open or break the motor circult- The cam which is utilized to control the levers 26 which apply movement to the welt bar is designated at 62 (see Figures 3 and 13). It is keyed to the cam shaft 60 and has a cam groove 63 in one of its faces which .coacts with a roller 64 'pivotally connected to and projecting laterally The r from one of the levers 20. Since the levers are tied together by the shaft 22, both are con-. trolled from the single cam 62. In a similar manner a differently and appropriately shaped cam 65 (Figures 3 and 14) controls both levers which actuate the racks I6, the cam 65 coacting with a laterally projecting roller 66 on one of the levers 25 and since these levers 25 are tied together by the hollow shaft 21 both levers 25 are operated from the same cam 65. Separate though similar cams 61 and 68 are utilized to control the movements of the rock levers 33 and consequently the vertical swinging movements of the guide l1. These cams Gland 68 also coact with rollers 69 and I0 projecting laterally from the rock levers 33. I

The cam for regulating the action of the latches 41 is designated at II, (see Figures 2 and 3) and operates on a roller 12 projecting laterally from the rock lever 55.

In order that the welt bar may partake of its desired motions and yet clear the other elements of the machine and particularly the picot bar (not shown), it is desirable to tilt the needle bar I forwardly during the welt closing operation. This may be accomplished by utilizing a double cam 15 also fixed to the cam shaft 60 and coacting with a forked follower 16 added to and integral with the lever 16' of .the conventional mechanism which operates through the usual link 11 and bracket 18 to control the needle bar I.

At the very beginning of knitting a stocking the yarn is laid in the usual way across the needles 2 and the other instrumentalities (not shown) which cooperate with the needles to effect knitting. The first course of loops is then formed in the usual manner. The welt bar 5 in the position shown in Figure 2 is' then advanced to the needles. The welt bar 5 may be advanced to the needles by hand, that is, the operator simply grasps the bar and moves it toward the bank of needles. However, where a plurality of sections are embodied in a-knitting machine it may be de-' sirable to provide means which enables the knitter or operator to advance all of the welt bars of the knitting machine simultaneously toward the needles.

One means for accomplishing this result is illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 15. As there illustrated, one of the levers 20 and one of the levers 25 are provided with crank arms I00 and IN, respectively, each crank arm being fixed to its lever and projecting laterally therefrom. Rollers I02 are carried by the levers I 00 and IOI. Adjacent the shafts 22 and 21 is an operating shaft I03 provided with a handle I04 whereby it may be turned. The shaft I03 also has cams I05 and I06 fixed thereto and cooperable with the rollers I02 of the levers I00 and IOI when the handle I04 is swung from the full to the dotted line position shown in Figure 15. Such swinging movement of the handle turns the shaft I03 and causes the cams to act on the rollers I02 and throw the levers 20 and 25 toward the. right as viewed in Figure 15.

It will be understoodthat the shaft I03 extends the full length of the machine and is provided with a set of cams I05 and I06 for each knitting section.

When the welt bar is advanced to the needles, the parts I6 thereof coact with the-usual welt bar guides IIO to shift the'welt bar laterally sufficient to cause it to go into the spaces between the needles. There is sufficient resiliency and clearance in the welt bar and its mounting means the levers 20 and 25 is sumcient to to allow such shifting. when the hooks of the welt bar have picked up the loops from the needles, knitting then proceeds and as the courses are knit the take-up is provided by the action of the welt bar which is biased rearwardly or in a direction away from the needles 2 by the levers 20 and 25, cams 62 and 65 having rotated sufficiently to free the levers for the take-up.

When the first portion of the welt is being knit the levers 20 and 25 are biased rearwardiy by virtue-of the action of springs and 8|. The spring 80 has one end connected to one of the levers 20 and has its opposite end connected to a tensioning lever 82 fulcrumed on a supporting shaft 83; Similarly, the spring 8I has one end connected to one of the levers 25 and has its opposite end connected to a tensioning lever 86 also mounted on the shaft 83. The levers 82 and 86 may be fixed to the shaft 83 so that a single cam 81 may coact with the roller 88 on lever 88 also fixed to shaft 83, as shown in Figure 11, in order to tension the springs 80 and BI when such tensioning action is desired. After the levers have swung over past their center the springs 80- and 8I have become closed and lever 88 swings away from the cam 81, as at such timethe weight of maintain the desired tension in the welt.

The operation of knitting the welt continues until sufficient fabric has been knit to provide for the welt structure. Thereupon the cams 62 and 65 are shifted to cause certain rises thereof to swing the levers 2'0 and 25 from the position shown in Figure '2 to the position shown in Figure 4. The relative movement thus occurring between the pinions I5 and their racks I6 rotates the welt bar 5 over to the position shown in Figure 4 with the result that the loops of the first course engaged with the hooks of the welt bar are pulled down the shanks of the hooks and up against the body of the welt bar, as

shown. Continuous with this operation is the further movement of the earns 62 and 65 which efi'ects movement of the levers 20 and 25 from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 5 which reversely rotates the welt bar 5 to the position shown in Figure 5. At this time the take-up rod 51 rolls out of the guides 56 and down along the spring tapes 43 into the hooks 45. At about this time the earns 61 and 68 act upon the rollers 68 and I0 and consequently upon their rock levers 33 and links 35 to elevate the pivoted guides IT to the position shown in Figure 5. This clears the welt bar of other elements of the machine and correctly positions it vertically with respect to the knitting needles. Continued rotation of the cam shaft and consequently of the cams 62 and 65 changes the position of the welt bar to -that shown in Figure 6 where the grooves I2 in the shanks of its hooks receive the upper ends of the needles. At this time the welt bar v 5 and its guide I6 are positioned above and out of contact with the guides H0 so that the hooks of the welt bar instead of being in register ,with the space between the needles are alined with the needles themselves. The cams 61 and 68 also function about this time first to lower the welt bar to the position shown in Figure 7, thereby causing the loops of the first course to ride over the beards of the needles and'onto the shanks thereof. The next operation raises the welt bar from the position shown in Figure 7 to the position shown in Figure 8-which carries the loops of the first course up under the beards of the needles. At the completion of this upward movement of the welt bar its hooks slide oil of the upper ends of the needles and snapinto position between them where they engage the portions of the first course located between the knitting needles. Following this the welt bar is again lowered and swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 9 to disengage the first course.

Following this. the .cams l2 and 66 act on the levers 20 and a and consequently =on the pinions II and racks I to swing the welt bar to the position shown in Figure 10, and in so swinging is brought back sufliciently to clear the needles and then forwardly to overlie them, after which the welt bar is lowered by the action of. the cams i1 and 68 to depress the loopsof the first course from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Figure 10. This completes the operation of turning and closing the welt.

During the time that the welt bar is in the phases of its operation shown in Figures 6 to 8, the needle bar has been shifted forwardly from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figures 6 to 8 where the center line of the needles has been tilted to the position indicated by the dot and dash line a in Figure 4. This movement of the needle bar is brought about by the action of the double cam 15 which works on the follower It to so change the position of the needle bar. The forked follower IS in accomplishing this action works through the conventional needle bar control members" and 'II'. When the welt bar 5 is in the phase of its position shown in Figure 9 the double cam 15 further tilts the needle bar so that the needles lie on the dot and dash line b shown in Figure 4 'and occupy the position shown in Figure 9. By thus tilting the needle bar forwardly the welt bar is clear of the various instrumentalities of the machine and particularly of the picot bar (not shown).

Upon the completion of the welt closing and turning operation the cam ll operates to release the latches 41, thereby releasing the hooks l5 and allowing the conventional take-up to exert its tension on the stocking through the takeup rod 51 which is now engaged-in the bight of the welt.

No attempt has been made to trace in detail the exact action of every portion of the contour of each cam but the exact contour of the cams operative for this purpose is shown in Figures 2,

section machine, each section will be provided with a welt turning bar and with automatic mechanism in accordance with the invention so that'all bars may be operated fully automatically and in unison.

While I have shown and described one method by which the invention may be practiced and one construction in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood thatthese have been selected merely for the.

purpose of illustration or example and that various changes may be made and various expedients resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subioined claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a' series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, one for each needle, means supporting said bar for translatory movement toward and away from and vertically with respect to the needles and also for rotation about its own axis, means for moving the bar to cause it to act as a take-up for the welt as the same is being knit and thereafter to transfer the loops of the first course back onto the needles, in combination with a take-up having a spring biased roller, take-up straps, hooks connected to saidstraps, a take-up rod, means for automatically transferring the take-up rod from the welt bar to the hooks during the Walt turning operation and automatically operating latching mechanism for holding the hooks in position to receive the rod during the knitting of the welt and releasing the hooks to allow the take-up to function upon the completion of the welt turning and closing optically swingable guides supporting said rack and pinion mechanism, and means for operating the rack and pinion mechanism and also for swinging the guides whereby the welt bar is effective to act as a take-up for the welt as it is being knit and to transfer the loops of the first course back onto the needles upon completion of the knitting of the welt.

a. An automatic turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, one for each of the needles, rack and pinion mechanism connected with the welt bar to effect rotation thereof and movement of the bar toward and away from the needles in substantially a horizontal plane, vertically swingable guides supporting said rack and pinion mechanism, means for operating the rack and pinion mechanism and also for swinging the guides whereby the welt bar is effective to act.

as a take-up for the welt as itis being knit and to transfer the loops of the first course back onto the needles upon completion of the knitting of the welt, in combination with a take-up having spring biased hooks, a take-up rod cooperable therewith, means effecting transfer of the takeup rod to the hooks after completion of theknitting of the welt, control latches cooperable with the hooks to hold them in position to receive the take-up rod, and automatic mechanism for releasing the latches upon the completion of the welt turning and closing operation.

4. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, one for each needle, each hook having a groove in its shank adapted to receive the forward side of the needle during the welt closing operation, and means for supporting and moving the welt bar to cause it to function as a take-up during the knitting of the welt and to transfer the loops of the first course back onto the knitting needles upon completion of the knitting of the welt, in combination with means controlled at least in part by movement of the welt bar for automatically transferring the take-up function from the welt bar to the usual take-up of the knitting machine.

5. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having "a series of needles comprising a welt bar having a series of transfer hooks. said hooks being grooved longitudinally of their shanks and on the same sides thereof from which the hooks project whereby the first course of loops may be transferred to the needles by a downward thrust of the bar forwardly of the needles, pinions connected to the ends of the welt bar, racks meshed with the pinions, pivoted guides supporting the racks, means for shifting the welt bar and the racks to angularly adjust the welt bar and its transfer hooks, and means for raising and lowering the pivoted guides to cause the hooks of the welt bar to transfer their loops to said needles.

6. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism comprising a welt bar having transfer hooks, means for translating the bar toward and from the needles and for rotating the same to effect the welt closing operation, in combination with the usual take-up mechanism including a take-up rod, hooks associated with the take-up mechanism, control means for regulating the action of the hooks, and means for effecting automatic transfer of the take-up rods to the hooks and release of the control 'means upon completion of the welt closing operation.

7. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism comprising a welt bar having a series of transfer hooks, pinions connected to the ends of the welt bar, racks meshed with the pinions, pivoted guides supporting the racks, levers interconnected with the racks and pinions and operable to move the same simultaneously to bodily shift the two together and also to move the same relatively to cause the welt bar to rotate about its own axis, levers connected to the pivoted guides for raising and lowering the same and cam,

means for operating said levers.

8. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, onefor each of the needles, each hook having a groove in its shank adapted to receive the forward side of its needle during the welt closing operation, means supporting said welt bar for bodily movement toward and away from and vertically with respect to the needles and also for rotation about its own axis, and means for moving the bar bodily away from the needles to cause it to actas a take-up for the welt during knitting thereof, then for rotating the bar to correctly position the loops of the first course thereon, and then rotating and bodily moving the bar to effect transfer of the loops of the first course back onto the needles.

9. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, one for each of the needles, each hook having a groove in its shank adapted to receive the forward side of its needle during the welt closing operation, means supporting said welt bar for bodily movement toward and away from and vertically with respect to the needles and also for rotation about its own axis, and means for moving the bar bodily away from the needles to cause it to act as a take-up for the welt during knitting thereof, then for rotating the bar to correctly position the loops I of the first course thereon, and then rotating and bodily moving the bar to effect transfer of the loops of the first course back onto the needles, in combination with means for co-ordinately tilting the needles to facilitate the welt closing operation.

10. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, one for each of the needles, each hook having a groove in its shank adapted to receive the forward side of its needle during the welt closing operation, means supporting said welt bar for bodily movement toward and away from and vertically with respect to the needles and also for rotation about itsown axis, and means for'moving the bar bodily away from the needles to cause it to act as a take-up for the welt during knitting thereof, then for rotating the bar to correctly position the loops of the first course thereon, and then rotating and bodily moving the bar to eifect transfer of the loops of the first course back onto the needles, in combination with take-up mechanism and means for automatically transferring the take-up function from the welt bar to said take-up mechaniism upon completion of the welt closing operat on.

11. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks, one for each needle, means for supporting said bar for bodily movement toward andaway from and vertically with respect to the needles, and also for rotation about its own axis, and means for bodily moving the bar away from the needles to cause it to act as a take-up for the welt as the same is being knit, and thereafter to rotate and bodily move the bar both horizontally and vertically to cause it to transfer the loops of the first course back onto the needles, in combination with take-up mechanism including spring biased hooks and a takeup rod, and means including guide strips on the welt bar and automatically operable latches cooperable with thehooks whereby the take-up rod is properly associated with the welt and with the 13. An automatic welt turning and closingv mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks for the needles, said hooks being grooved longitudinally of their shanks and on the same sides thereof from which the hooks project whereby the first course of loops may be transferred to the needles by a downward thrust of the bar forwardly of the needles, means supporting said bar for bodily movement toward and away from and vertically with respect to the needles, also for angular movement, and means for causing the welt bar to move to transfer loops from its hooks to the needles and thereafter to depress the loops to the proper position on the needles. I

14. The method of slipping the first row of loops upon the needles in the welt turning operation in a full-fashioned knittingmachine which comprises pressing the welt hooks to which said loops are attached downwardly, over the unbearded sides of the needles until the loops are below the beards of the needles and then raising 16 said hooks to catch said loops in the beards of said needles.

15. The methodof slipping the first row of loops upon the needles in the welt turning oper- "ation in a full-fashioned knitting machine which 80 comprises pressing the welt hooks to which said loops are attached downwardly over the unbearded sides of the needles until the loops are below the beards of the needles and then raising said hooks to catch said loops in the beards of B said needles and then freeing the hooks from the loops.

16. The method of slipping the first row of loops upon the needles in the welt turning operation in a full-fashioned knitting machine which comprises pressing the welt hooks to which said loops are attached downwardly over the unbearded sides of the needles until the loops are below the beards of the needles and then raising said hooks to catch said loops in the beards of said needles, and then again pressing the hooks downwardly between said needles to move said loops along the shanks thereof into juxtaposition to the loopsof the last course.

17. The method of slipping the first row of loops upon the needles in the welt turning opera- 'tion in a full-fashioned knitting machine which comprises lowering the welt hooks downwardly over the tops and front sides of the needles, then removing the hooks from said loops and pressing M the same downwardly between the needles to move said loops along the shanks of the needles into juxtaposition with respect to the loops of the last course.

18. The method of slipping the first row of lo loops upon the needles in the welt turning operation which comprises tilting the needles forwardly and pressing the welt hooks to which said loops are attached downwardly over the tops and forward sides of the needles until the loops are- 86 below the beards of the needles.

19. The method of slipping the first row of loops upon the needles in the welt turning operation which comprises tilting the needles forwardly and pressing over the tops and forward sides of the needles until the loops are below the beards of the needles, then raising said hooks to catch said loops in the beards of said needles, then freeing the hooks from the loops, then returning said needles to a vertical position and pressing the hooks downwardly therebetween to move said V loops along the shanks of the needles into juxtaposition with respect to the loops of the last course. 1

20. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism for full-fashioned knitting machines having a series of needles and comprising a welt bar having a series of hooks grooved longitudinally of their shanks on the same side thereof from which the hooks project whereby the first 76 course of loops may be transferred to the needles by a downward thrust of the bar forwardly of the needles, said bar being supported for rotation and for bodily movement toward and from the needles "horizontally and vertically, means, operable after the welt has been knit, for bodily moving the bar transversely toward and away from the, needles and for turning the bar, first in one direction to correctly position the loops -of the first course on its hooks and then in a reverse direction to position the bar for engagement with the needles, and means for raising and lowering the bar to effect transfer of the loops from said hooks to said needles. i

21. An automatic welt turning and closing mechanism comprising a welt bar having trans-' fer hooks, means for translating the bar toward and from the needles and for rotating the same to effect the welt closing operation, in combination with the usual take-up mechanism including a take-up rod, a pair of hooks, connecting and guide tapes between the hooks and the usual take-up mechanism, guide clips for the take-up. rod.mounted on the welt bar, releasable holding.

means for securing the hooks against movement and in position to receive the take-up rod, said.

shanks on the same sides thereof as'their bills,

means for supporting said bar for bodily movement toward and away from and vertically with respect to the needles, and also for rotation about its own axis, and means for bodily moving the bar away from the needles to cause it to act as a take-up for the welt as the same is being knit and thereafter'to rotate the bar and also bodily move it both horizontally and vertically to cause it to transfer the loops of the first course back onto the needles by a downward thrust of the bar forwardly of the needles, the forward portions of the needles being received in the grooves of the hooks upon the downward transfer thrust of said bar.

23. In a fiat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt wire, a support on which the welt wire is positioned,

fabric take-up means and means for automatically imparting relative positioning movement to the take-up and support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire.

24. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt wire, a support on which the welt wire is positioned, fabric take-up means associated with the welt wire, and means for automatically imparting relative positioning movements to the take-up'and support to operatively connect the welt wire and associated take-up means to take up the fabric.

25. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt wire, a support on which the welt wire is positioned, fabric take-up means associated with the welt wire, and

means for automatically connecting the welt 26. In a fiat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt wire, fabric take-up means associated with the welt wire, supporting means on the machine on which the welt wire and said take-up means are positioned for subsequent operation to take up the-welt fabric, and means for automatically connecting the welt wire and associated fabric take-up means to take up the fabric including means acting when rendered operative to release the welt wire and take-up associated therewith from said supporting means.

WM. C. REDEEN. JULIUS C. RUEDT. 

